It's that time of year again: Hockey leagues around the world are starting up and the next crop of draft eligible players will make their case to be selected at the 2017 NHL Draft next June in Chicago. We are happy to report that we will continue our coverage leading up to the draft. Monthly consensus rankings of the top-31 (welcome, Las Vegas!) and various articles will be posted to give you a better look at young talent poised to enter the league.

These consensus lists are compiled using a point system, based on recent draft rankings from reputable sources around the hockey world. Without further ado, we kick off our 2017 Draft coverage with the preseason ranking.

Preseason Consensus Rankings

#

Player

Pos.

H

W

Ctry.

Team

1

Nolan Patrick

C

6'3"

194

Brandon (WHL)

2

Timothy Liljegren

D

6'0"

190

Rogle (SHL)

3

Gabe Vilardi

C

6'2"

185

Windsor (OHL)

4

Casey Mittelstadt

C

5'11"

190

Green Bay (USHL)

5

Eeli Tolvanen

LW

5'10"

174

Sioux City (USHL)

6

Maxime Comtois

LW

6'1"

192

Victoriaville (QMJHL)

7

Nico Hischier

C

6'1"

176

Halifax (QMJHL)

8

Owen Tippett

RW

6'1"

181

Mississauga (OHL)

9

Kristian Vesalainen

W

6'3"

203

Frolunda (SHL)

10

Klim Kostin

RW

6'3"

196

HK MVD Balashikha (MHL)

11

Kailer Yamamoto

C/LW

5'8"

159

Spokane (WHL)

12

Elias Pettersson

C

6'1"

161

Timra (Allsvenskan)

13

Urho Vaakanainen

D

6'0"

185

JYP (Liiga)

14

Callan Foote

D

6'3"

198

Kelowna (WHL)

15

Lias Andersson

C/LW

5'11"

198

HV71 (SHL)

16

Nicolas Hague

D

6'6"

207

Mississauga (OHL)

17

Nikita A. Popugaev

RW

6'4"

203

Moose Jaw (WHL)

18

Antoine Morand

C

5'9"

170

Acadie-Bathurst (QMJHL)

19

Scott Reedy

C

6'1"

187

US National U18 (USDP)

20

Marcus Davidsson

C/W

6'0"

192

Djurgardens J20 (SuperElit)

21

Juuso Valimaki

D

6'2"

201

Tri-City (WHL)

22

Matthew Strome

LW

6'3"

190

Hamilton (OHL)

23

Adam Ruzicka

C

6'4"

209

Sarnia (OHL)

24

Dmitri Samorukov

D

6'2"

181

Guelph (OHL)

25

Robin Salo

D

6'0"

181

Sport (Liiga)

26

Ivan Lodnia

RW

5'10"

179

Erie (OHL)

27

Michael Rasmussen

C

6'5"

203

Tri-City (WHL)

28

Jacob Paquette

D

6'2"

194

Kingston (OHL)

29

Samuel Bucek

LW

6'3"

192

Chicago (USHL)

30

Emil Oksanen

RW

6'1"

181

Sioux Falls (USHL)

31

Jesper Boqvist

C/W

5'11"

174

Brynas J20 (SuperElit)

Nolan Patrick has been the clear cut top ranked player from this draft class for a while now. We've been spoiled with uber-elite prospects the last couple of years with Connor McDavid, Jack Eichel, and Auston Matthews. Patrick may not possess the franchise cornerstone potential of those three, but he's an exceptional prospect in his own right who brings a unique skill set to the table.

By all accounts, Timothy Liljegren is the best defenseman in the 2017 class. But the same could have been said about Jakob Chychrun at this point last year. There will surely be some big risers and fallers as the season progresses. San Jose's first round pick in 2015, Timo Meier, was an unknown at the start of the season. It wasn't until late January when he came into the discussion as a potential first rounder. Fast forward a few months, and he was picked ninth overall by the Sharks.

It's hard to put a label on this draft class right now. It seems relatively deep, but lacks in the quality and quantity of top-end talents we saw in 2015 and 2016. That description can change once we see how well these prospects perform in their draft year, though.

These players were acquired to push the team over the edge. Last season, San Jose came within two wins of a Stanley Cup but was clearly outplayed by Pittsburgh in the Finals. The speed and skill of the Pens proved too much, and the series would have been over earlier if it wasn't for some extraordinary goaltending by Martin Jones. Pittsburgh's third line dominated the Sharks, while the bottom pair of Brenden Dillon - Roman Polak was badly exposed. Both Boedker and Schlemko were signed to patch these holes, and help the team go for its first ever Stanley Cup.

Mikkel Boedker

Boedker has spent most of his career playing significant minutes on bad teams. In eight years and 463 regular season games in the NHL, Boedker has made the postseason just twice for a total of 20 games. His last run was with the 2011-12 Coyotes who were swept by Los Angeles in the Western Conference Final. He's in a much different situation with the Sharks, a team being labeled as contenders heading into the season.

Boedker's point totals look pretty flashy, but as mentioned above, he's played a lot of minutes on teams that aren't exactly loaded with star power. With San Jose, he'll likely play in the middle-6 alongside Couture or Hertl/Tierney/3rd line center. Similar to last offseason with Ward, we'll have to wait and see where he fits and who he finds chemistry with. There is a chance he could ride shotgun with Joe Thornton and Joe Pavelski on the top line as well. Boedker's combination of speed and skill is his best asset.

A cause of concern with the Danish winger is his extremely subpar possession numbers. He's more of a complimentary forward than one who will drive offense. Boedker's play in the defensive zone is lacking and he has developed a reputation for being a bit of a streaky scorer. But as mentioned above, he hasn't exactly played with high quality talent for much of his career. We'll see if he can flourish with better teammates in San Jose.

As for hard stat predictions, a lot depends on whether he ends up on the second powerplay unit or not. He's been very successful on the PP in the past. We expect to see Tomas Hertl and Joonas Donskoi's as fixtures on the second unit. Joel Ward and Chris Tierney are in the mix as well. At least one defensemen should be included; Schlemko, Marc-Edouard Vlasic, or Dylan DeMelo (if he's in the lineup) are viable candidates. My guess is Boedker will be a regular on that unit, although it is awfully crowded and the names above don't even include potential breakthroughs by Timo Meier, Nikolay Goldobin, or another surprise player.

With all that said, Boedker should get between 14-17 minutes per game. It's a step down from what he's used to, but that's what happens when you're on a team loaded with depth that has a coach who likes to roll the lines. I would be thrilled to see him notch anything above 15 goals, 30 assists, and 45 points if he is a regular on the second PP unit and plays 82 games. It may take some time to adjust to a new system and find the right linemates, so a more realistic expectation would be between 35 and 40 points.

​Something important to note is that Boedker took less money to play on a team that could make a run for the Cup. According to Darren Dreger, Boedker had an offer with more term and dollars elsewhere, but wanted to win with San Jose. As a fan, you love to see that kind of stuff. The signing solidifies the Sharks as having a top-5 offense in the NHL. Their depth is matched by very few, if any, other teams in the league.

David Schlemko

Schlemko played seven seasons with the Coyotes organization before being waived twice and ultimately ending up with the Devils in 2015-16. Last year was the only time he played over 50 games in his career, and it's no coincidence that it was his best season since being signed as an undrafted free agent back in 2007. Like Boedker, he's been a victim of being on some not-so-great teams.

With New Jersey, Schlemko played on the second or third pair, averaging over 18 and a half minutes per game. With the Sharks, it appears he will be penciled in on the third pair with Brenden Dillon. Dillon had a disappointing season but perhaps with a more stable partner like Schlemko, he will rebound. Dylan DeMelo, Mirco Mueller, and Tim Heed will likely challenge for spots during training camp, but unless a current NHL defenseman is moved, the top-6 looks to be set in stone.

Schlemko plays a safe game in which he does not make many mistakes. His underlying numbers were very good, albeit on an offensively challenged Devils team.

He's also a useful special teams player. In New Jersey, he played on the #1 PP unit and posted pretty impressive numbers. He will almost certainly get a look on the Sharks second unit and has a good chance of sticking over Vlasic/DeMelo. Schlemko plays on PK as well. He could take some pressure off Brent Burns, who was on the ice for almost 500 minutes more than the next closest Shark last year.

Expect Schlemko to play 16-19 minutes per game with a role on both the powerplay and penalty kill. 7 goals and 15 assists for 22 points is an optimistic estimate of production. He does not have a long track record of success in the NHL, with last year being the only 'good' season of his career. The four year term may be a bit risky, but the $2.1 million cap hit is low if he lives up to expectations.​

It's hard to ask the big guns on the team to repeat what they did last year. Acquiring Boedker and Schlemko, getting a full season out of Couture, and breakthroughs from young, internal talent will hopefully lessen the load for the older core to handle. It will also make the Sharks a better all-around team.

The tournament, in its inaugural year, will take place from September 17th - October 1st. It consists of eight teams; USA, Canada, Russia, Sweden, Finland, Czech Republic, Europe, and North America (U23 team). Pavelski, Marc-Edouard Vlasic, Tomas Hertl, Joonas Donskoi, and Mikkel Boedker will play for their respective countries.

It took a few months of adjustment, but Joonas Donskoi took a huge step forward in his rookie season and established himself as one of the Sharks best players under the age of 25. His impressive postseason only further cemented the idea that he could play a big role in the present, and future, of the San Jose Sharks organization.

Donskoi was signed back in May of 2015 following a disappointing 2014-15 campaign that saw the Sharks miss the playoffs for the first time in a decade. This deft signing by GM Doug Wilson was only the beginning in an offseason of adding pieces that would eventually help San Jose reach their first ever Stanley Cup Final.

The Finnish winger was by no means a lock to even make the team out of training camp. He did, and scored his first NHL goal in his first NHL game (a bit of a fluke). Through the first few months of the season though, he bounced around the lineup and did not look like the impact player we have come to known in the latter stages of the year. Donskoi spent a lot of time in the bottom-6 and gradually provided depth scoring that would earn him an opportunity to showcase his skill set in a more prominent role.

He hit his stride in mid-January and became attached to Logan Couture at the hip. Which makes it fitting that he recorded the most points in a season by a Sharks rookie since Couture back in 2010-11. Donskoi also became a fixture on the second PP unit, often orchestrating the powerplay with his playmaking abilities. In the playoffs, he played in the top-6 alongside Couture and Marleau. That line excelled through much of the first three rounds but was broken up against the Penguins when Tomas Hertl was knocked out of the series with a knee injury. It's safe to say that Donskoi is a legit middle-6 winger who only needs time to prove last season was not a fluke to be regarded as a true top-6 talent.

Donskoi is a dynamic player with quick hands and above average playmaking skills. He's a good skater who can make goaltenders look silly on breakaways and in the shootout. His shot is not as strong, but he's shown the willingness to score in close even though he doesn't have the biggest frame out there. Simply put, Donskoi's style of play is very well fit for the modern day NHL. Speed and skill.

Looking at Sharks players under the age of 25, there is no true elite talent or bonafide superstar we've seen teams like Edmonton, Toronto, and other bottom feeders acquire in the past few years. That is one side effect of being an upper-echelon team for much of the past decade. But when young free agent signings like Donskoi and middle-of-the-pack draft picks like Hertl pan out, you can integrate these players to remain successful rather than bottom out and enter a rebuild. Especially when you have a great core to build around (such as Joe Thornton, Joe Pavelski, Logan Couture, Marc-Edouard Vlasic, and Brent Burns).

Overall, Donskoi was a key part of the Sharks historic Stanley Cup run. He will forever be remembered for scoring the game-winning goal (in overtime, no less) that delivered the franchise their first ever Stanley Cup Final win. All signs point to him building off his rookie season and contributing as an impact player for years to come.

We take a look at the likelihood of the Sharks most NHL-ready prospects making the team.

We're nearing the end of July as the NHL offseason slowly creeps along. Training camp is still a couple months away, and we'll be treated to the World Cup of Hockey tournament in mid-September. For now though, let's take a look at who could potentially crack the Sharks lineup heading into 2016-17.

It will not be an easy feat. San Jose has 12 bonafide NHL forwards, six defensemen, and a goaltender under contract. That leaves very little room for prospects. Of those 19 players, I'd say three of them are at risk of losing a spot on the team. Tommy Wingels, Matt Nieto, and Melker Karlsson. Notice, no defensemen on that list. It's going to be very hard for a D prospect to earn anything more than a #7 spot on the team. But we see it every year around the league: Young players come in and force a GM's hand by stealing jobs from established NHL'ers. Don't be surprised if a player or two is traded (or even waived) to make room for a prospect who earns a spot on the team.

With that being said, what new names could we see on a Sharks team very much in contention for a Stanley Cup run?

Timo Meier seems to be the frontrunner at this point. After an encouraging draft+1 season where he fell just short of a Memorial Cup victory, the 2015 ninth overall pick is expected to make a big push for a spot come September. He was one of the most impressive players in Development Camp a few weeks ago, and has the size and skill to make an immediate impact in the NHL. The one thing that concerns me with Meier; compared to other top prospects around the league, his offensive game is not the most polished. He showed flashes of brilliance all year, but I'd like to see those qualities on a more consistent basis. For example, his puck control at top speed could use some more work.

If Meier proves he is ready, and the organization feels the same way, there is nothing stopping him from developing his game on the biggest stage. As long as he's not playing subpar minutes in bad situations. There seems to be talk of him riding shotgun on the first line alongside the Joe's. I'd be hesitant to move Tomas Hertl as that line was lethal in the playoffs. But Hertl will eventually move to center, and if Meier can fill that void right away, then great. As long as he does not take a complete backseat to Thornton and Pavelski which could stagnate his development.

Marcus Sorensen was signed by the Sharks in March, and could follow in Melker Karlsson and Joonas Donskoi's footsteps: European players who established themselves as NHL regulars the following season after being signed. Sorensen embodies what the Sharks were lacking against Pittsburgh; an extremely fast, skilled skater. Like Meier, he stood out in Development Camp and could earn a spot on the opening night roster. One knock on Sorensen is his size, at 168 pounds, he will likely need to bulk up and gain strength to handle the physicality of the NHL.

Nikolay Goldobin got his cup of coffee in the NHL last season, but was ultimately deemed not ready and sent back down after 9 games. Fast forward eight months and despite a very good second half in the AHL, Goldobin may have to wait another year before becoming an NHL regular. There is just no room as of now and he has been passed over by Meier and possibly Sorensen. That is subject to change if Wilson decides to trim the lineup and clear a few spots for rookies.

Goldobin is the most skilled prospect in the Sharks system, but other areas of his game are keeping him from becoming a full-time NHLer. His defensive game was near non-existent in his draft year, but has improved considerably since. Still, it may not be good enough to please a coach like Pete DeBoer. Goldobin is not a physical player either and will not be one to grind it out in the corners. With the right linemates, his deficiencies could be masked and his electric skill would be welcomed on the team. Goldobin would be fantastic on a powerplay unit, but the Sharks may not have room there either with a multitude of forwards vying for spots (Hertl, Donskoi, Boedker, Tierney, Ward, etc.)

The timing is just not right at the moment for Goldobin unless he really impresses in training camp and beats out the prospects listed above him, or GM Wilson clears some space by shipping out bottom-6 guys. Barring those scenarios, Goldobin will primarily be with the AHL Barracuda to play out the first year of his ELC (last two have slid).

Those three prospects are head and shoulders above the rest in their chances to make the team. It would be a big surprise if anyone else made it over them. Long-shots would include Noah Rod, Kevin Labanc, Rourke Chartier, or Dan O'Regan. Rod will likely be back in Switzerland while Labanc, Chartier, and O'Regan play their first full seasons in the AHL.

There is even less room for breakthroughs on defense.

​Dylan DeMelo, still considered a prospect by our standards, played 45 games last year before being replaced by Roman Polak at the deadline. Polak walked, but now David Schlemko will fill a role on the third pair. Unless DeMelo can beat out Schlemko or Brenden Dillon, he will be at best a #7 and first in line to come in for an injury. He may even return to the AHL to get some games in rather than sit in the press box every night.

Mirco Mueller will most likely spend another season in the AHL. It's the last year of his ELC. After playing 39 NHL games in his draft+2 year, and just 11 last season, Mueller has not developed as expected. He'll probably get some games in this year as an injury call-up, but Mueller has to improve his decision-making if he hopes to become a regular in the next few years. It's too early to give up on the 21-year-old, but we'd like to start seeing some consistent signs of improvement in the minors.

San Jose doesn't have much else in the defensive pipeline, at least as far as NHL-readiness goes. Some long shots on D include Joakim Ryan or Patrick McNally. Tim Heed, though not considered a prospect by our criteria, could make a push as well. The blueline is just too crowded at the moment so don't expect to see much of these guys.

The goaltending position could be interesting. Martin Jones is the clearcut starter, but the backup job is up for grabs. Aaron Dell seems to be the frontrunner if the Sharks don't sign a cheap veteran backup. Mantas Armalis or Troy Grosenick could challenge him. Whoever it is will need to be capable of the job. We saw what happened with Alex Stalock last year. Jones played a ton in 2015-16 and should get some more rest next season.

San Jose could easily head into next season without adding any of these prospects. The 2016-17 team looks like it will be, arguably, the deepest Sharks team in franchise history. The hope is that one or more of these prospects earn a spot and help push the team over the edge in route to a Stanley Cup.

A contract extension is in order for the Sharks top offensive defenseman.

Brent Burns is set to become an unrestricted free agent next offseason, but chances are minuscule he actually reaches July 1st without signing a huge extension with the Sharks. GM Doug Wilson may opt to get a deal done before the season starts to avoid distractions. Whatever the case, a Burns extension should get done relatively smoothly and with considerable less drama than the Steven Stamkos situation we saw earlier this summer.

Burns brings an offensive element to his game that is unmatched by any defenseman in the league not named Erik Karlsson. He is a shot-producing machine and is an absolute beast on the backend. He's a crucial part of the powerplay and has the elite physical tools to match his impressive offensive toolset. Burns can flat-out overpower the opposing D and as a result, is almost like a fourth forward when he's on the ice. Make no mistake, his defensive game isn't nearly on the same level as his offense. But it did improve last year from 2014-15 when he was transitioned back to the blueline after spending much of the previous season as a forward. Burns had a fantastic postseason and was a key contributing factor to the Sharks reaching the Stanley Cup Finals.

On the open market, Burns could fetch upwards of $9.5 million a year. If/when the Sharks do resign him, that number will likely be a million or two lower. Burns loves playing in San Jose, and Wilson has a knack for signing good players to excellent contracts. Take into account his age, not exactly entering his prime, and his reckless style of play that could potentially lead to problems down the line, and you are looking at an AAV between $7.5-8.5 million.

What's a contract speculation article without bringing up some comparables? Here are a few defenseman that were in semi-similar situations before signing their extensions.

Byfuglien is perhaps the best comp here, as the two are very close in age and talent level. Also note that Wilson does not like to give out long-term contracts. An interesting tidbit: Burns likes the '88' motif in his deals. His last contract was 5 years, $28.8 million.

Brent Burns deserves to get paid. And he will get paid. A lot of money. He will no doubt be one of, if not the highest paid San Jose Shark ever. But given the circumstances, he will probably not try to squeeze out every penny he can during negotiations. It shouldn't cripple the Sharks down the line, even though there is definitely a risk attached to every large contract.

I don't think he will get more than six years or $8.3 million per. My optimistic guess would be 5 years, $38.8 million ($7.76 AAV). And that would be a huge steal for the organization.

Doug Wilson sure did get him for cheap. This could be Nieto's last chance to prove he belongs with the Sharks before getting passed on the depth chart by prospects ready to make the jump.

Nieto was drafted in the second round of the 2011 Draft out of Boston University. He played at BU two more years before making the Sharks in 2013-14. After a promising rookie season, Nieto has not made that next big step in his development and even experienced a regression production-wise last season. He's a small, speedy possession player that lacks the finishing tools to make him a true offensive threat in the bottom-6. He does not have a physical presence to his game, which is understandable given his size.

Sure, Nieto is more skilled than someone like Tommy Wingels or any of the plugs that have inhabited San Jose's fourth line in recent years. But aside from speed, he brings very little to the table. It's not out of the question that he gets traded to make room.

He's still just 23 years old and we've seen flashes of how impactful he can be. Next season will be crucial in determining his future with the organization.

The Sharks signed Carpenter out of college in 2014. He has spent the last three years playing for the AHL team. He led the Barracuda in points last season with 55 in 66 games. He did play one NHL game and is a darkhorse to make the big club this year. It will be tough given the current personnel and prospects set to make a push.

27-year-old Kelly was apart of the Devils organization for over six years before being signed by the Sharks today. He went undrafted out of the OHL and has played a total of 361 AHL games, amassing 67 points.

The Sharks could use some more AHL defensemen until some of their Junior guys like Jeremy Roy and Cavan Fitzgerald make the transition.